FuzzyBunny
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Anyone know?
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What pistol is this
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PBR Streetgang
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If I remember correctly ,it's a S&W model 10 modified for suppressed fire for the tunnel rats in Viet Nam............. the cylinder/barrel gap was very close to contain the gasses.
FuzzyBunny
Member
Is that a flashlight on top of the revolver?
Vern Humphrey
Member
That's a tunnel rat. Note the miner's headlamp with mouth-operated switch on the soldier's cap.
The thing on top of the gun is a flashlight -- and adjusted so the bullet hits where the light points. The gun is a silenced S&W Model 10.
The thing on top of the gun is a flashlight -- and adjusted so the bullet hits where the light points. The gun is a silenced S&W Model 10.
even the .44 was a weak link thing.
the rds themselves were silenced. Unless the M10 had been fitted with a Nagant action and the special cases, or the silenced rds (ie, no real need of a can with those) there's have been a lot of noise/flash from the cylinder gap.
the rds themselves were silenced. Unless the M10 had been fitted with a Nagant action and the special cases, or the silenced rds (ie, no real need of a can with those) there's have been a lot of noise/flash from the cylinder gap.
The piston driven "shotshell" used in these was apparently huge. Even the model 29 in 44M had have the cylinder reamed out larger.
Here's one of the order sheets from AAI, clearly showing that it's a 29, and a factory letter from S&W about an inquiry on one.
Here's one of the order sheets from AAI, clearly showing that it's a 29, and a factory letter from S&W about an inquiry on one.
This thread with great photos of a reproduction is very illuminating:http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/196939-1969-tunnel-gun-new-pic.html)
(Note: I can't brain today. The pic in the op is probably a model 10 and regular silencer. for some reason I saw tunnel rat and went straight to the QSPR without looking back. )
(Note: I can't brain today. The pic in the op is probably a model 10 and regular silencer. for some reason I saw tunnel rat and went straight to the QSPR without looking back. )
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
The flashlight was to see the bobby traps & Vietcong with.
The silencer was to keep from blowing your own eardrums out or causing a cave-in inside a tiny little tunnel if you had to shoot someone.
rc
Today's HK .45, with infared aiming and suppressor, is what the military wanted after the Nam tunnel's. They needed at most 500 of them, so in typical military style, they bought 5000, for $5000 apiece, at a time when that was like twice as much money as today. A real coup for HK at the time. the silenced .44 ammo developed about the same power as a .22 rimfire rifle, IIRC. very feeble, because the cartridge had to contain the piston that drove the bullet. If the gases were left free to exit the revolver at the cylinder gap, the noise would still be horrendous in a small diameter tunnel.
moxie
Member
rc is right.
I was in CuChi in '72 for different reasons. Always admired the tunnel rats. Still cannot understand how anyone could do what they did! Very brave.
I was in CuChi in '72 for different reasons. Always admired the tunnel rats. Still cannot understand how anyone could do what they did! Very brave.
PBR Streetgang
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The light is a aiming light. S&W did lake a modified Model 29,but it was designed with a experimental .40 caliber low flash round that it fired. This was a limited model and didn't see as much action as the S&W Model 10 version .
I had a cousin that served in Viet Nam as a Marine tunnel rat.........he came back as a decorated veteran but soft spoken (180 degree change before he went in)and shied away from people the rest of his life....He took his own life later on.
I had a cousin that served in Viet Nam as a Marine tunnel rat.........he came back as a decorated veteran but soft spoken (180 degree change before he went in)and shied away from people the rest of his life....He took his own life later on.
majortoo
Member
The picture had to be prior to 1968, because the soldier's uniform is the old style. I was issued the later jungle fatigues with subdued (black letters on green cloth tape) name tags in 1968. Those bold, white name tags attracted attention! Interesting to note that the soldier had been in country long enough to get a Combat Infantry Badge, but was still only a PFC.
Vern Humphrey
Member
I made a bad mistake as an Adviser to a Viet Namese Army battalion. We discovered a tunnel complex. I told the Dai Ui ("Captain," the battalion commander) we needed to send someone down there.
"No, no. No can do."
"We have to, Dai Ui."
"No. Too dangerous."
"Dai Ui, t he Americans do it all the time."
He looked me right in the eye and said, "You're an American."
Yes. It is VERY scary in a tunnel. And I found a cobra staked out in that complex -- sort of a Cracker Jack prize for anyone foolish to go down there. Fortunately, cobras are slower than rattlers, not heat sensitive, and strike downward.
"No, no. No can do."
"We have to, Dai Ui."
"No. Too dangerous."
"Dai Ui, t he Americans do it all the time."
He looked me right in the eye and said, "You're an American."
Yes. It is VERY scary in a tunnel. And I found a cobra staked out in that complex -- sort of a Cracker Jack prize for anyone foolish to go down there. Fortunately, cobras are slower than rattlers, not heat sensitive, and strike downward.
moxie
Member
Vern,
Can't think of a better way to define "snookered"!
Can't think of a better way to define "snookered"!
Vern Humphrey
Member
No kidding -- another time my alligator mouth overloaded my humming-bird ass.
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